Off Duty
by sorakazuma
Summary: Saber has the afternoon off and finds herself on a date with a man who crosses the line between foe and friend.


Off Duty

Fate/Zero

Lancer x Saber

Saber was coming out of a shop down in the heart of Fuyuki City when she sensed the presence of another servant. The aura hit her straight in the face as she stepped out the door into the broad sunlight and she clutched the shopping bag to her chest, emerald green eyes glancing about the walk, waiting for the inevitable attack. Her mind spun at who would be so bold to approach her… it wouldn't be Assassin; they would never be so upfront with their attack.

Rider and Archer wouldn't be so casual… if it was them she was half expecting a parade or fireworks to announce themselves. Caster seemed too infatuated with her to think clearly, which meant the only obvious suspect was the only person who would think to approach her reasonably.

"Afternoon, King of Knights."

She turned, narrowing her gaze as she stared up the sidewalk at the tall brunette walking towards her. He was dressed like she was, in modern clothing, and she found that it oddly suited him. The dress shirt of forest green seemed to accentuate his broad shoulders and narrow hips, and the khaki pants were if anything, plainly normal. He seemed to fit in perfectly with society around him, though she supposed he didn't exactly mesh perfectly… not with the way every woman who passed him did a doubletake, finding themselves unable to look away.

His eyes, that beautiful orange shade of amber widened as he took in the way she was glaring at him. "Woah!" He raised a hand in his defense. "I'm not here to fight. I promise."

"Then what _are_ you doing here?" She demanded. "Were you following me?"

He looked sheepish. "I was supposed to be gathering intel, but then I picked up on another servant nearby and I figured I would check it out. When I realized it was coming from a tea shop of all places, I had a hunch it was you, actually." Then he smiled. "Are you not happy to see me?"

"I would prefer you to most of the others." She snapped, still feeling defensive despite the way he made her heart skip a beat. "And the tea is not for me. It is for my Master."

"The Einzbern girl, eh? Where is she anyway?" He asked openly, glancing around. When he looked back at the short blonde, she was scowling at him again. "Usually she's right next to you is why I'm asking." He sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Are we going to do this every time?"

"Do what?" She asked, looking him over as if he might just attack her.

"You getting offended over every little thing I say." His smile turned bitter. "It's hard to make small talk with a pretty girl when she feels on edge every time I open my mouth."

Saber's green eyes widened and she looked away, her short ponytail swaying behind her. "…Sorry." She said after a long moment, glancing back at him. "I am being defensive. But you're an enemy servant. Eventually you and I will have to fight each other. There's no point in getting to know one another."

"I'm looking forward to it. If it's my fate to fight you, then I'm honored. But I don't want that to be today, and I do want to get to know you. I like you, Saber."

She stared up at him, not able to stop her cheeks from blushing. "Are you always so forward?" She found herself asking, not knowing any other way to address that confession.

"Usually." Lancer smiled. "Do you have to be getting back right away? If you have some time, how about we go for a walk."

Saber dropped her gaze, looking thoughtful. Irisviel was sleeping at this time of day, and when she had left, Maiya was there with her. Who only knew where Kiritsugu was, but she got the feeling he wasn't the type to move around in broad daylight. "…I don't know why not…for a little while."

He smiled at her, and then reach over, taking her bag from her. She gasped and reached to snatch it back but he held it above her head, using her small stature to his advantage. "It's only good manners for a boy to carry a girl's things." He told her.

"You could poison it for all I know." She scowled at him.

"There's something you need to learn Saber." He tugged on her ponytail as he started past her. "It's called trust."

She frowned, but started after him, catching up and glaring up at him. "You're the enemy." She pointed out.

"It's funny," He leaned down looking her straight in the eye. "I think you're the only one who thinks that way."

She back-stepped, finding the space between them to much when he was in her face like that. "Then what would you call us?"

"Warriors who were shackled by destiny to fight one another. I believe in my pride and honor as a knight. I would never do something as corrupt as vile as you might think." His voice mellowed, the deep tones proving just how serious he was.

Saber looked at him, seeing the cold hard tones in his brilliant eyes. "I never met to insult your honor." She bowed her head. "I'm sorry. I've never been good at being around other people." Especially men who held an eccentric spell over her.

"It's alright. It doesn't make me like you any less. In fact I find your cold side quite adorable."

"Why's that?" She asked looking away from him. Something about the way he'd said it had made her heart jump into her throat.

"Because you'd never fall in love with me." His words made her jerk her gaze back up to his, but he continued on without meeting her stare. "Not just because you think I'm attractive, or because a charm spell influenced you."

Saber closed her eyes, not able to hide the smile that curved her lips. "You're right. I would need more than those things."

"I figured." He smiled back. "That's why I like you so much. You can see through all of that." His orange eyes shifted to the glass storefronts. "Enough about work. What do you think of this modern world we're in now?"

"I think it's wonderful and scary to see how far we, as human beings have come in just a few hundred years. I never thought I would see the day when the horse was replaced as the pinnacle of transportation. Now we soar higher than the birds, and cross entire continents in hours. It sounds like magic."

He laughed. "Yet most of the world is still ignorant to that powerful form of witchcraft. For all they know it mine as well still be the dark ages."

They continued down the main road, finally stopping in a small corner shop with small quaint windows. "Why are we here?" She asked, looking up at him.

"Not a coffee drinker?" He arched a brow at her as he held the door open. A pair of girls used the opportunity to dart through, giggling a 'thank you' out at the handsome brunette.

"I have knowledge of its history and its various uses... but I don't think I've actually had any of it before." She replied, staring into the shop with uncertainty.

"Well let's change that, shall we?" He told her, gently pushing her into the shop and closing the door behind them.

"Good afternoon!" One of the young hostesses beamed at them from the counter.

"It smells wonderful in here." Saber breathed deep, letting the scent of roasted coffee drift through her nose.

"Go get us a table. I'll be right back." Lancer winked at her before he took off toward the counter.

The woman found that the corner booth was open and slunk into it, watching him at the counter. As soon as he had approached it had seemed like the girls had flocked to him, including the high school students who were waiting on their drinks. He smiled at them, saying something to make them laugh. He seemed to know exactly what to do to keep them captivated and they were all trapped up in his spell without rhyme or reason.

Saber found she was just as guilty; her green hues lingered on him for longer then what was necessary, but she couldn't help but notice the way the fabric of his shirt rippled against the muscle on his chest, how his light-colored slacks belted around his small waist. How equally gorgeous the profile of his face was with that wavy chocolate brown hair that he wore carelessly swept back and those fiery amber-orange eyes.

They drifted back, looking at her and she jerked her head towards the window, not about to be caught staring. It wasn't until he was at the table that she glanced back at him.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." He told her, setting a delightfully yellow mug in front of her full of steaming black liquid.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" She asked him lightly, lifting the ceramic cup to her lips. The drink was hot but surprisingly warm and chalky with a taste she couldn't quite describe.

"Hardly," he huffed out, pouring a packet of sugar into his cup. "More like it's good to know the curse is still in effect." He gestured to the mole underneath his right eye before he stirred the contents inside his glass with a plastic spoon.

Saber slowly followed suit, checking over the contents of the mini carousel before deciding to add some sugar and cream. The end result was a drink that was much more tolerable.

"They make coffee in a variety of different flavors now too," he told after taking a sip. "With caramel, or chocolate."

"This is much better now," she replied taking another small sip of the liquid which had turned a fair mocha with the addition of some milk. "Though the chocolate sounds good."

"I can't believe you're drinking it without accusing me of poisoning it first." He grinned. He saw her eyes go wide and she sat the mug down with a clatter.

"It didn't even cross my mind," she admitted, staring at the cup. "I suppose maybe I'm just as susceptible to your charms as any other woman."

His amber eyes blinked above his cup as he took a long sip. Silence fell between them and Saber looked back out to the café where the girls were all giggling and laughing in their fall dresses and high-heeled boots. Here she was in her raven suit and tie, looking much more like an expensive chauffer. There was hardly any sex appeal in dressing like a boy and she had never even thought about it because she had never tried to impress anyone with her looks. She'd never been aware of any man as a man…she had always counted herself more of their gender then her own anyway.

Now she was feeling more self-conscious then ever and it was because he was there with her and the boundary line between friend and foe had been ever so casually erased.

She didn't even realize that he had moved until he was shifting into the booth beside her. "Aw, come on. I thought the whole point of being off duty was to put worries aside." He told her, his gorgeous hues looking at her.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." She replied, her eyes widening. "And what are you doing over here anyway?" She couldn't help but hear the hiccup in her voice.

"You're just as pretty as those girls." He told her gently. "Prettier even. You don't need a dress or makeup to look beautiful."

Her heart leapt, staring at him in shock, wondering how he had read her mind. Her eyes were doubting his words clearly, her pretty pink lips gaped as she tried to process a reply that would make any sense.

Lancer seemed to have other plans. He smiled softly. "I can prove it to you, Arturia." He whispered, leaning over. His hand caught her chin and she flinched at his touch. He took advantage of the situation, capturing her soft mouth with his in sweet lip lock that made heat flare throughout her as her system went numb.

For once, her brain shut down. All thoughts died in the wake of that heat as slow and sure as it was. Her heart hammered at her rib cage, pounding up her throat into her ears. She was dead…surely she shouldn't have a reaction to anything like that. Still her body seemed to be running of instincts. Her hand lifted up to rest on his shoulder, her fingers curling around the back of his neck and into his thick hair. The café, the city, hell the whole world had disappeared and she was holding onto him with an innocent need she didn't know how to explain for the life of her.

When he leaned back she found herself needing air in her lungs and wondered just how many minutes had past. Her emerald eyes looked up and noticed the girls at the table watching them with wide eyes and sheepish smiles and Saber found she wanted to sink into the seat to avoid the flood of red that was painting across her cheeks.

"That was entirely unnecessary," She snapped, trying to regain her cool composure.

"I think you're trying to avoid the fact that you enjoyed it." He smiled, his luminous eyes sparking with a glow that hadn't been there before.

"If anything it just makes things more difficult." She frowned. "You couldn't have meant it."

"I couldn't?" His brows shot up. "Do I need to do it again to prove that I did?"

She looked back at him, her green eyes clouded with misery. "Why?" She asked, setting her jaw. "Why do you care?"

He reached out, cupping her cheek in his palm. "Because you're trying too hard to do it all. Nobody can handle the weight of the world alone. You don't think you have friends or comrades, but I want you to know that I want to be there for you. For the few minutes we get in this whole bloody tournament where we aren't trying to kill one another…I want to be there for you."

Her emerald hues wavered. "Why…?" She asked again. "I don't understand. Tell me-"

Her words were cut short again by the feel of his lips on her own. It was a mere ghost of a kiss, a brush of their mouths against each other, but that was when he heard him whisper. "Because I was caught up in your spell this time."

Saber closed her eyes and lifted her hands. Her arms snared around his shoulders and she pulled him closer, burying her face against his neck. They were destined to kill each other, destined for a fate that should have never intersected, but she couldn't help but admit that she had fallen for the gorgeous young man with all his honor and ideals, and his gentle soul.

It was dark by the time they left the café, Saber carrying the bag full of tea.

"Thank you for the afternoon Miss," He bowed grandly, sweeping his arm across his chest. "I had a great time."

"I did too." Saber nodded. "Well then…" He nodded back, and turned, preparing himself to leave, but she found her voice catching in her throat, the words running through her mind. "D-Diarmuid."

He stopped, looking back over his shoulder at the call of his given name. "Yes, Your Highness?"

She frowned for a minute at his teasing and then let the expression soften. "Next time you're free… do you… want to-"

"Yes." He said before she tried to stammer the whole thing out. "Very much. I look forward to it Arturia."

With that he was gone, leaving her standing on the corner watching him fade into the shadows. Her heart twisted in her chest, filled with an emotion she couldn't place.

"Hopefully," she breathed out. "Hopefully…we'll still both be alive to make it to our next day off."

END


End file.
